Mytime Active Wellbeing Week offers free workouts and expert tips for a healthy lifestyle

With the ‘most depressing day’ of 2019 approaching on 21 January, people across Bromley can equip themselves with a fast-acting antidote to kick-start improvements in their everyday lives. Health, wellbeing, golf and fitness teams from Mytime Active are inviting people to beat Blue Monday and join Wellbeing Week, where they can be active, eat well, be positive and spend time together, with free workouts, golf and healthy living workshops.

Designed for people of all ages and fitness levels, Mytime Active’s Wellbeing Week runs from Monday 21 to Sunday 27 January, across six leisure centres and three golf courses. Events include free exercise classes, food and nutrition workshops, golf and gym passes to help people achieve their health and wellbeing goals for 2019. Nutrition workshops, led by food experts, include eat well guides, advice on portion sizes, and an explanation of food labelling and fats, sugar and salt.

Mytime Active’s Wellbeing Week follows the latest announcement of a ten-year plan for the NHS with £20bn of funding for areas including healthy living programmes. Health leaders say the new plan could save 500,000 lives, by preventing diseases, such as strokes, heart problems and cancer, and spotting them earlier to improve the chances of survival.

Rose Webb, Director of Brand, Product and Wellbeing:

"The NHS ten-year plan makes clear the importance of Healthy Living for people of all ages. Wellbeing Week is a way to share our knowledge with as many people as possible, because whatever your age, we have the practical tools to improve your lifestyle.

"Blue Monday can cast a negative perception about this time of year, but anyone who visits during Wellbeing Week is guaranteed to enjoy the motivation and support of our teams to make long term, positive changes. We offer health services across the UK, including child and adult weight management, Stop Smoking, Health Trainers and NHS Health Checks."

Classes from Yoga to Circuits, Group Cycling and Zumba will be open to all, with Primetime sessions, particularly suitable for ages 60+, at the Pavilion in Bromley, the Spa at Beckenham, plus West Wickham and Walnuts Leisure Centres. One day gym passes are available for all non-members and the free trial extends to a round of golf at Bromley Golf Centre, High Elms Golf Course and Orpington Golf Centre. The courses have no dress code and Mytime Active provides all the golf clubs.

Mytime Active, Walnuts Leisure Centre member Jean Hodgskin:

For me, belonging to the centre isn't just about exercise - it gives me the opportunity to socialise and get to know other people. When I first got back into exercising, I thought I had to keep up with other people but now I am happy to do it at my own speed and if I should miss a session, the next time I go, I step it up a pace.

My advice to someone thinking of starting exercising - try it for more than a week, stick at it for at least a month. You will be well supported and surprised by how much you are able to do."

Visitors to Mytime Active’s gyms, leisure centres and golf courses enjoyed an array of health and wellbeing benefits last year. Highlights from 2018 in Bromley include:

• More than 3.6 million visits helping people to get active, socialise and learn more about health and wellbeing
• More than 7,100 children and young people learning to swim every week through the Get Active in Swimming programme
• Over 2,700 Primetime members aged 60+ with dedicated volunteers spending over 3,000 hours or 125 days supporting them into physical activity
• 1,600 referrals to Mytime Active’s exercise programmes, with more than 70% of people who completed specialist programmes improving their fitness following referral by GPs and health professionals for a defined medical condition
• 203,533 exercise classes completed with return participants helping to reduce the risk of many long-term conditions as well as boosting self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy

To find out more about Mytime Active’s Wellbeing week, including sessions running near you and how to download a free guest pass to visit a gym, class or workshops, visit www.mytimeactive.co.uk/wellbeing-week

Mytime Active’s five top tips for making positive lifestyle changes in 2019

1. Struggle to commit to your workouts? Put appointments in your diary and protect the time so that it becomes a habit
2. Struggle to stay motivated?  Set a goal and track your progress on a wall calendar, diary or phone app.  A record of step counts, distance travelled, and workouts completed helps you see your hard work so far
3. Want to be more active? Remember, every little counts! A brisk lunchtime walk daily for 10 minutes will soon add up
4. Want to be more active as a family?  A winter wander through the woods is an activity for all ages, as is a visit to fun-filled family splash session in the pool
5. Bored with the same routine?  There are over 20 different types of classes available during Wellbeing Week.  Book one to try something new